The present invention relates to a data transmitter, a data receiver, a processor, a unit controller, a unit control system, a data transmission/reception system, and a medium for, for example, transmitting or receiving data and controlling operations of units.
It is generally known that digital video data and digital audio data are the data having a large redundancy. Therefore, digital video data and digital audio data are encoded to reduce the redundancy of them and then, recorded or transmitted. Digital video data and digital audio data are encoded at the transmission side and then transmitted, and decoded at the reception side.
Thus, by encoding digital video and digital audio data and then transmitting them, it is possible to effectively use the capacity and bandwidth of a transmission medium.
An MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) is one of the methods for encoding digital video data and digital audio data. The MPEG includes MPEG1 such as a CD-ROM for recording data in an accumulation medium at a low rate and MPEG2 for realizing a high picture quality capable of withstanding broadcasting and corresponding to different screen sizes.
A DV is also practically used which uses an encoding method different from the MPEG as a household digital VCR.
Thus, to record video data and audio data according to different encoding methods in a recorder and transmit them through the same transmission medium, the identification information for identifying encoding methods is recorded and transmitted together with encoded video data and audio data. This identification information makes it possible to select a proper decoding method out of a plurality of decoding methods when reproducing or receiving data.
For example, in the IEEE 1394 currently developed as a digital interface for transferring digital video data and audio data, it is decided to add identification information showing the type of data to the head of the data based on the MPEG method or DV method when transmitting the data.
Thereby, it is possible to mix digital video data and audio data generated through a plurality of different encoding methods on one communication medium and the reception side can properly decode received video data and audio data by confirming the identification information.
However, to correspond to a plurality of types of encoding methods, circuits or software for executing the respective processings must be previously prepared.
Therefore, there is a problem that, to correspond to many encoding methods, decoding circuits or programs equal to the number of encoding methods must be prepared.
Moreover, there is a problem that it is impossible to correspond to a new encoding method that is not previously prepared.
The MPEG and DV use picture encoding (compression) methods different from each other. Therefore, there is no compatibility between the data encoded by the MPEG and the data encoded by the DV.
However, the arts used for encoding include many common portions. For example, the above both methods use DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform) and variable-length encoding.
Thus, a plurality of picture encoding methods are present and most encoding methods include many common processings though the processings are not completely the same.
A unit controller for controlling these data reception/transmission and operations may display transmitter and receiver or substance of data on GUI of the unit controller through icons. Also in this case, it is possible to distinguish between types of units or types of data and thereby display an icon by using the identification information for types of units or types of data.
However, to correspond to a plurality of types of units or types of data, there are problems that each icon must be previously prepared and moreover, each icon must correspond to each type of unit or each type of data.
Moreover, there is a problem that it is impossible to correspond to a new type of unit or data that is not previously prepared.
Furthermore, when displaying the substance of data with an icon, in order to use icons related to the contents of data, it is necessary to once read data, a unit controller must generate an icon, and it is necessary to separately store the icon.
To solve the above conventional problems, the present invention provides a data transmitter, a data receiver, and a medium capable of corresponding to a plurality of encoding methods and moreover, new encoding methods by transmitting a decoding method together with encoded video data and audio data.
Moreover, to solve the above conventional problems, the present invention provides a data transmitter, a processor, a unit controller, a unit control system, data transmission/reception system, and a medium making it possible to display a plurality of types of units and types of data and moreover, icons related to the contents of data by providing the image data used to visually display units or data like icons for each unit connected by a communication medium instead of providing the data for each unit for displaying a screen.
One aspect of the of the present invention (corresponding to claim 1) is a data transmitter comprising:
transmission means for transmitting at least either of encoded video data and encoded audio data to a data receiver;
a processing-command list for holding a processing procedure common to said data receiver; and
decoding-method generation means for expressing a method for decoding at least either of said encoded video data and encoded audio data by the sequence of said processing procedure and processing parameters included in said processing-command list and outputting the method as a decoding method, wherein
said transmission means transmits at least either of said encoded video data and encoded audio data and moreover, transmits said decoding method.
According to the above structure, for example, the data transmitter can transmit encoded video data and encoded audio data together with a method for decoding these types of data. Therefore, a data receiver can properly decode received video data and audio data.
Another aspect of the present invention (corresponding to claim 5) is a data transmitter comprising:
transmission means for transmitting at least either of encoded video data and encoded audio data to a data receiver;
request reception means for receiving an inquiry about the method for decoding at least either of said encoded video data and encoded audio data, making a predetermined decision, and thereafter outputting a decoding-method transmission command in accordance with the decision result;
a processing-command list for holding a processing procedure common to said data receiver; and
decoding-method generation means for expressing a method for decoding at least either of said encoded video data and encoded audio data by the sequence of said processing procedure and processing parameters included in said processing-command list when obtaining the output of said decoding-method transmission command and outputting the method as a decoding method; wherein
said transmission means transmits at least either of said encoded video data and encoded audio data and moreover, transmits said decoding method.
According to the above structure, for example, the data transmitter can transmit encoded video data and encoded audio data together with a method for decoding these data. Particularly, because the decoding method is transmitted in accordance with the request from a receiver, the data transmitter can make a predetermined decision on the transmission of the decoding method and moreover, it is possible to realize the usage of changing encoding methods for concealment or accounting. Moreover, as described above, a data receiver can properly decode received video data and audio data.
Still another aspect of the present invention (corresponding to claim 7) is a data receiver comprising:
reception means for receiving at least either of encoded video data and encoded audio data and a decoding method from a data transmitter;
a processing-procedure list for holding a processing procedure common to said data transmitter and a method for realizing said processing procedure;
decoding control means for obtaining said received decoding method, reading a method for realizing a processing procedure included in the decoding method from said processing-procedure list and outputs the method as a decoding control signal; and
decoding means for decoding at least either of said received video data and audio data in accordance with the designation by said decoding control signal.
According to the above structure, for example, the data receiver can use a decoding method received together with encoded video data and audio data when receiving and decoding the video data and audio data. Thereby, it is easy to correspond to a plurality of encoding methods, particularly to a new encoding method.
Yet another aspect of the present invention (corresponding to claim 9) is a data receiver comprising:
reception means for receiving at least either of encoded video data and encoded audio data and a decoding method from a data transmitter;
a processing-procedure list for holding a processing procedure common to said data transmitter and said processing-procedure realizing method;
decoding control means for obtaining said received decoding method, reading a processing-procedure realizing method included in the decoding method from said processing-procedure list, and outputting the method as a decoding control signal;
decoding means for decoding at least either of said received video data and audio data in accordance with the designation by said decoding control signal, decides whether the decoding is normal, and outputting a decoding-method transmission request for requesting the decoding method when obtaining a decision result that said decoding is not normal; and
request transmission means for transmitting an inquiry about said decoding method when receiving said decoding-method transmission request.
According to the above structure, for example, the data receiver can use a decoding method received together with encoded video data and audio data when receiving and decoding-the encoded video data and audio data. Thereby, it is easy to correspond to a plurality of encoding methods, particularly to a new encoding method. Moreover, the data transmitter can make a predetermined decision on the transmission of a decoding method, and it is also possible to use the decoding method for concealment or accounting.
Still yet another aspect of the present invention (corresponding to claim 15) is a processor comprising:
a storage medium for holding the image data for visually showing at least either of the function of a processor and a state of said processor;
first request-acceptance means for accepting a transmission request for requesting the transmission of said image data; and
image-data transmission means for reading said image data from said storage medium and transmitting the image data when said first request-acceptance means receives said transmission request.
According to the above structure, for example, the processor can transmit image data to an apparatus for visually displaying the function and state of the processor. Thereby, a unit controller for controlling the processor and the like does not need to previously prepare the image data corresponding to the type of each unit and it can easily correspond to a new type of unit. Moreover, because the processor changes image data by corresponding to change of states, the unit controller can visually display a state of the processor without using detailed data for the processor.
A further aspect of the present invention (corresponding to claim 18) is an unit controller comprising:
request transmission means for transmitting a transmission request for the image data for visually showing at least either of a function of a processor capable of transmitting said image data and a state of said processor to the processor;
image-data reception means for receiving said image data; and
display means for displaying the image data received by said image-data reception means.
According to the above structure, for example, the unit controller does not need to previously prepare the image data corresponding to the type of unit and it can easily display the screen of a new type of unit. Moreover, it is possible to visually display a state of a unit without using the information for the unit by regularly updating the image data.
A still further aspect of the present invention (corresponding to claim 21) is a data transmitter comprising:
a storage medium for holding the image data for visually showing the content of at least either of video data and audio data;
first request-acceptance means for accepting a transmission request for requesting the transmission of said image data; and
image-data transmission means for reading said image data from said storage medium and transmitting the image data when said first request-acceptance means receives said transmission request.
According to the above structure, for example, because the data transmitter has image data, a unit controller for displaying the image data can display the image data independently of the format of the data. Moreover, it is possible to use image data related to the content of data and therefore, it is unnecessary that the unit controller once reads data and generates image data.
A yet further aspect of the present invention (corresponding to claim 25) is an unit controller comprising:
request transmission means for transmitting a transmission request for the image data for visually showing the content of at least either of video data and audio data to a data transmitter capable of transmitting said image data;
image-data reception means for receiving said image data; and
display means for displaying said image data received by said image-data reception means.
According to the above structure, for example, the unit controller can display image data independently of the type of data. Moreover, it is possible to use the image data related to the content of data without reading the data.